Medical devices are known that can be implanted within a patient's body for monitoring one or more physiological parameters and/or for providing therapeutic functions. For example, sensors or transducers can be placed in the body for monitoring a variety of properties, such as temperature, blood pressure, strain, fluid flow, chemical properties, electrical properties, magnetic properties, and the like. In addition, medical devices can be implanted that perform one or more therapeutic functions, such as drug delivery, cardiac pacing, defibrillation, electrical stimulation, and the like.
One parameter of particular interest is blood pressure. One or more implantable pressure sensing modules can be used in conjunction with cardiac rhythm management (CRM) devices to facilitate optimization of CRM device settings. In such systems, the pressure sensing module is delivered transvenously to a target vessel (e.g., the pulmonary artery) and anchored in the vessel using various fixation techniques. Accurate placement of the sensing module is an important factor in accurately and reliably measuring the desired parameter. Additionally, under some circumstances, it becomes necessary to re-position an implantable sensor module after initial deployment or, alternatively, to remove the sensor from the patient entirely.
Thus, a need exists for apparatus and methods for accurately delivering and deploying implantable medical devices within a patient's body. In particular, there is a need for a mechanism for releasably engaging an implantable sensor to facilitate accurate deployment of the sensor at a desired implantation site.